Coroner on hold as RichRod still has a pulse… barelyPosted by John Taylor on January 4, 2011, 5:51 PM EST

The Detroit FOX affiliate reported this afternoon that Rich Rodriguez has been fired as Michigan’s head coach. The Detroit Free Press followed that up with a report that the decision has been made to fire the third-year coach.

What we might have here is a case of premature speculation — that will likely be proven correct in the end.

Rivals.com‘s Michigan website is reporting Tuesday evening is reporting that no decision on Rodriguez’s future has officially been made, and will not be made until Wednesday.

A meeting with the players that had been scheduled for 7 p.m. ET tonight — presumably to discuss their coach’s fate — has been pushed back until four in the afternoon tomorrow.

For now, it appears, Rodriguez is still technically employed by the University of Michigan. How much longer will you be able to make that statement? It appears that answer will come within the next 24 hours. Maybe.

UPDATED 7:14 p.m. ET: In response to the spate of reports, Michigan has released a statement regarding the current status of Rodriguez.

Quote:

“Everything that is being reported is media speculation at this point. The definitive voice on this matter is Dave Brandon and he has not and will not speak publicly until a final decision has been made. I will let you know when Dave is prepared to comment.”

UPDATED 3:51 p.m. ET: AnnArbor.com has an update on Rodriguez’s situation as well, basically stating that, while he’s not yet been fired, he will be at some point today.

Michigan intends to fire Rich Rodriguez this afternoon, but a meeting between the embattled football coach and athletic director Dave Brandon had not yet happened, a source familiar with the situation told AnnArbor.com.

As of 3 p.m., multiple sources with direct knowledge of the talks said the firing had not occurred.

Members of the football team will attend a 7 p.m. meeting tonight to learn the details.

p.s. to everyone else on board, genius here posted 2 seasons of Ball St record after Hoke left. By the same rationale, you could argue Brian Kelly is a bad coach bc Cincinnatti lost their bowl game and had a bad year after Kelly left them.

I posted the two seasons following for a reason: to demonstrate that Hoke "built" nothing. Hoke struggled for five years at Ball State, including four consecutive losing seasons. Then he went barely over .500, and the following year he had his magical 12-1 season and left. The next season Ball State went 2-10. A near mirror swap of their record. Is it that crazy to suggest that, perhaps, that 12-1 season was built on dumb luck? The right players in the right places at the right times? The Brian Kelly situation is different. He posted three great seasons in a row at Cinncy, including two BCS bowl appearances. Though the school has dropped off after he left, not to the extent of Ball State.

January 5th, 2011, 6:05 am

TheRealWags

Modmin Dude

Joined: December 31st, 2004, 9:55 amPosts: 12488

Re: ***OFFICIAL: Michigan fires Rodriguez after three season

PFT wrote:

John Harbaugh confirms that his brother isn’t heading to MichiganPosted by Mike Florio on January 5, 2011, 8:52 AM EST

Though it’s still unclear where Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh will be coaching in 2011, it’s becoming clear where he won’t be going.

Michigan.

Word first emerged at the Big Lead earlier this week, prompting Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press to drop a deuce on the story — before arguably swiping it without attribution.

On Tuesday night, Jim’s brother (who if you’re just beginning to follow football coaches the Baltimore Ravens) talked about the situation during his weekly Baltimore radio show.

“I don’t know what he’s going to do,” John Harbaugh said, via Ken Murray of the Baltimore Sun. “I think the Michigan thing is done now. I don’t think he’s interested in doing that, which is hard for him because he loves Michigan. But it says a lot about Stanford and we’ll just see what happens.”

Though John’s comment seems to imply that staying at Stanford is an option, every minute that passes without an unequivocal statement from Jim that’s he’s staying put and not jumping to the 49ers (or maybe now the Raiders) will have an increasingly negative impact on recruiting. College coaches can’t flirt or be wishy-washy. They either must stay and say they’re staying, or go and say they’ve gone.

It’s possible that Harbaugh’s decision hinges on quarterback Andrew Luck’s, which possibly hinges on Harbaugh’s. At some point, coach and quarterback need to sit down and devise a mutual plan for the future. Otherwise, each man could be making an uninformed — and thus bad — decision about the present.

p.s. to everyone else on board, genius here posted 2 seasons of Ball St record after Hoke left. By the same rationale, you could argue Brian Kelly is a bad coach bc Cincinnatti lost their bowl game and had a bad year after Kelly left them.

I posted the two seasons following for a reason: to demonstrate that Hoke "built" nothing. Hoke struggled for five years at Ball State, including four consecutive losing seasons. Then he went barely over .500, and the following year he had his magical 12-1 season and left. The next season Ball State went 2-10. A near mirror swap of their record. Is it that crazy to suggest that, perhaps, that 12-1 season was built on dumb luck? The right players in the right places at the right times? The Brian Kelly situation is different. He posted three great seasons in a row at Cinncy, including two BCS bowl appearances. Though the school has dropped off after he left, not to the extent of Ball State.

So, I guess that you are saying that Lloyd Carr didn't build anything either? Because Michigan Football tanked after he left.

Some players graduate, some transfer, some that stay just don't fit with the new guy.

January 5th, 2011, 10:13 am

TheRealWags

Modmin Dude

Joined: December 31st, 2004, 9:55 amPosts: 12488

Re: ***OFFICIAL: Michigan fires Rodriguez after three season

Freep wrote:

Posted: Jan. 5, 2011 Les Miles could again be a candidate at MichiganBy SHAWN WINDSORFREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

Three years ago, the man many thought might replace retiring Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr sat at a dais in the bowels of the Georgia Dome and fought back tears. Les Miles' LSU Tigers had just won the SEC title game yet he could barely contain the sadness during his postgame news conference.

"I love Michigan," he said. "I will always be a Michigan man."

The regret in his voice came as he announced he was staying at LSU, where he'd signed a contract extension to keep him there through 2012 that reportedly paid $3.5 million a year.

Fast-forward to Tuesday, when reports swirled that U-M had made the decision to fire or had fired Rich Rodriguez, the man who got Miles' professed "dream" job. Miles, it is believed, would still consider the job at U-M. It is unclear where Miles, 57, would fit on the candidate list of athletic director Dave Brandon.

One thing is certain: No one brings quite the color and quirkiness that Miles does. His expressive sideline demeanor and out-of-the-box maneuvering have earned him both praise and criticism.

He has infamously bungled the clock late in the game on more than one occasion. And his LSU teams are known as much for the future NFL talent as they are for their wild comebacks, trick plays and near-misses. That roller coaster is not for everyone.

But his love for U-M has never been questioned. And after U-M stepped out of its family tree to bring in Rodriguez, Miles could provide the school with familiar and, some might say, comforting roots again. Not to mention a championship pedigree -- his LSU team won the national title in January 2008.

Miles' coaching résumé is also buttressed by a few stints in Ann Arbor. He played for U-M under Bo Schembechler in 1974-75. He came back as a graduate assistant in 1980-81 and as an assistant coach under Schembechler and Gary Moeller in 1987-94.

Not that long ago Miles was the "hot" candidate everyone thought would come in and lead one of the nation's most prominent football programs. No doubt a fair share of U-M alumni and fans wouldn't mind if he ended up in Ann Arbor after all.